Vehicle-reach.



l vi in asses No. 857.822. PATENTED JUNE 25, 1907.

J. M0001. VEHICLE REACH.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 16, 1906.

? W n anew/"M 0 1n: mmms PEYERS c0, WASHINGTON. n. c.

UNITED STATES GEORGE J. MCCOY, OF FOSSIL, OREGON.

VEHIOLE-REACH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 25, 1907.

Application filed October 16. 1906. Serial No. 339,201.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE J. MoOoY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Fossil, in the county of Wheeler and State of Oregon, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle-Reaches, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention provides a reach or coupling for the front and rear axlesof vehicle running gear which will have a certain amount of movement toadapt itself to the various movements and thereby obviate wrenching andabnormal strain on the bolts, braces and adjunctive parts.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and alsoto acquire a knowledge of the details of construction and the means foreffecting the result, reference is to be had to the followingdescription and accompanying drawings.

While the invention may be adapted to different forms and conditions bychanges in the structure and minor details without departing from thespirit or essential features thereof, still the preferred embodiment isshown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure lisa top plan view of a portion of a vehicle running gearembodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectionthereof. Fig. 3 is a detail view of a portion of the front axle andreach or coupling, showing the parts on a larger scale and. havingportions broken away to illustrate more clearly the relative arrangementof the parts.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the samereference characters.

The running gear comprises front axle 1, rear axle 2, reach or coupling3, hounds 4 and braces 5, the latter interposed between the hounds andthe rear portion of the reach.

The hounds are clipped at their rear ends to the axle 2 and their frontends extend along opposite sides of the reach and are bolted orotherwise firmly connected thereto. The rear end of the reach orcoupling 3 is rigidly connected to the axle in any sub stantial way, asby means of a clip 6 which embraces the axle and the upper and lowersides of the rear portion of the coupling to which it is bolted orotherwise secured.

The coupling or reach 3 is hollow, being preferably a length of pipe.The front end of the reach is connected with the bolster by means of aswivel joint, thereby admitting of movement of said axle withoutwrenching or straining the fastenings, braces, etc. As illustrated, thejoint comprises a plate 7 provided with a stem 8, the latter enteringthe front end of the reach or coupling and said plate being folded orsimilarly fastened to the bolster 9 placed upon the axle 1.

A nut or collar 10 is fitted to the front end of thecoupling and servesto strengthen the same and to provide an extended bearing for abuttingagainst the plate 7 of the member forming the swivel joint between thefront bolster 9 and the coupling. A collar 11 is provided upon the reachor coupling a short distance from its front end and constitutes a stopto sustain the pulling strain and prevent separation of the front andrear axles. Oollars 12 and 13 are loose upon the reach and are locatedin the rear of the fixed collar 11. An upper rod or bar 14 connects theupper portion of the collar 12 with the axle at a point above thesprings 15. A second rod or bar 16 connects the lower portion of thecollar 12 with the axle at a point below the bolster. A king bolt 17passes through the front ends of the parts 14 and 16. The connections l4and 16 may be welded or otherwise attached to the coller 12 and arearranged one above and the other below the reach and serve to sustainthe draft when the vehicle is drawn over the road. A brace 18 connectsthe lower portion of the collar 13 With the axle. The king bolt 17passes through the ends of the several connecting rods or bars 14, 16and 18. The fifth wheel 19 passes through a loop or coupling 20 appliedto the lower side of the rod or bar 16.

From the foregoing it will be understood that the front end of the reachor coupling 3 is connected with the front axle by a swivel joint, henceis adapted to turn with reference to the axle so as to obviate torsionalstrain and thereby prevent wrenching and straining of the fastenings,braces and the like and resulting in materially prolonging the period ofusefulness of the running gear.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a vehicle running gear, the combination of front and rear axles,areach having rigid connection at its rear end with the rear axle, aplate having connection with the front axle and provided with a stemfitted loosely within the front end of the reach, a fixed stop near thefront end of the reach, collars loose upon the reach in the rear of saidfixed stop, and connecting means between said collars and the frontportion of the running gear.

2. In vehicle running gear, the combination of front and rear axles, atubular reach having rigid connection with the rear axle and providednear its front end with a rigid stop and having its front endreinforced, a plate attached to the rear side of the bolster fitted uponthe front axle, and provided with a stem fitted loosely within thereinforced end of the reach, a loose collar 12 mountedupon the reach inthe rear of the fixed stop, connections 14: and 16 between the upper andlower portions of the loose collar and the front portion of the runninggear, the connection 16 having a loop or keeper to receive the fifthwheel, a loose collar 13 likewise mounted upon the reach in the rear ofthe fixed stop and loose collar 12, and a connection 18'between thelower portion of the loose collar 13 and the front portion of therunning gear and extending below the front axle, the several connections14, 16 and 18 having king bolt connection with the front portion of therunning gear.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE J. MCCOY. [L. s.]

Witnesses:

G. E. MoCoY, G. O. BUTLER.

